Tourist guides: a walk in the park

Roger Hersey, 65, and his two toy poodles Enzo and Bacci love wandering the Flagstaff Gardens in the the summer heat.
Joining many fellow Melburnians, Roger and the two poodles are busy showing their friend Vincent, who is visiting from Adelaide, what Melbourne is all about.
“Enzo and Bacci get to come for a walk at least twice a day, they love it! The heat isn’t bothering them too much, especially since they have just had a haircut,” Roger said.
Roger loves the dog-walking community that exists in the Flagstaff Gardens near his home.
“It’s a great social scene here with the dog walkers. Everyone gets along really well,” he said.
On the topic of the gardens being an on-leash area for dogs, Roger said that it was a shared desire to create some space for dogs to run free.
“We were thinking of asking if the corner of the gardens where the gum trees are, if it could be made into an off-leash area for dogs,” Roger said.
“So far, apathy has reigned and no one has taken up the task,” Roger laughed.
“However people do use the leashes at the moment because not all dogs are social. And if dogs run away then there is the risk of the roads nearby.”
Roger loves the stimulation in Melbourne in the form of music, arts, theatre and many great discussion groups, and is looking forward to the many events held over summer in the CBD.
“I know it will be great. I need to have a better look at the program of what’s on but I will definitely attend some events,” he said.